Consumers Energy Connecting with Customers After Brutal Cold Drives Up Energy Use and Bills

Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) warned customers that January's brutal cold drove higher energy use and will raise bills arriving in coming weeks.

Rhea-AI Summary

Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) warned customers that January's brutal cold drove higher energy use and will raise bills arriving in coming weeks. Households used 25% more natural gas in the first 20 days of January 2026 vs January 2025. The company provided $5 million to 11 nonprofits and is conducting statewide outreach.

Consumers Energy said it is identifying heavily impacted customers, delivering supplies to warming shelters, sending statewide saving tips by email, and offering assistance via ConsumersEnergy.com/assistance and 800-477-5050.

Positive

• Natural gas use up 25% (first 20 days of Jan 2026 vs Jan 2025)
• $5 million provided to 11 nonprofit bill-assistance organizations
• 6.8 million Michigan residents served (all 68 Lower Peninsula counties)
• Nearly 70 coworkers deployed to assist storm restoration in Mississippi

Negative

• Many customers will receive higher bills following the prolonged cold spell
• Increased electric and gas usage this winter may raise near-term household energy costs

Argus Feb 2 session

-1.31% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – CMS

In the Feb 2 session, CMS declined 1.31%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement highlights sharply higher winter energy usage and the resulting bill pressure, whi...

Analysis

This announcement highlights sharply higher winter energy usage and the resulting bill pressure, while stressing CMS’s outreach and support initiatives, including a recent $5 million commitment to nonprofits. It extends a series of communications on reliability, affordability, and customer aid across Michigan’s 6.8 million residents in 68 counties. Investors may watch how these customer programs, elevated usage levels, and the upcoming 2025 year-end results on Feb 5, 2026 intersect with the company’s longer-term financial profile.

Key Figures

Natural gas usage change: 25% more Measurement window: First 20 days Customer support funding: $5 million +5 more

Natural gas usage change

25% more

Households’ natural gas use vs January 2025

Measurement window

First 20 days

January usage period before sub-zero cold spell

Customer support funding

$5 million

Provided last month to 11 nonprofits for energy bill help

Coworkers deployed

Nearly 70

Staff sent to Mississippi to restore power after storm

Residents served

6.8 million

Michigan residents receiving natural gas and/or electricity

State population reference

10 million

Total Michigan residents referenced in release

Counties served

68 counties

Lower Peninsula coverage area

Current share price

$71.49

Pre-news market context, up 0.83% on the day

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 29

5 events

1. Jan 29

   Reliability update

   24h Move

   -1.3%

   Reported stronger 2025 grid reliability despite more extreme weather and outages.

2. Jan 27

   Customer assistance

   24h Move

   +0.7%

   Mobilized over $100M in 2026 support to reduce heating costs for customers.

3. Jan 21

   Renewable partnership

   24h Move

   +0.5%

   Added ICCF Community Homes to renewable program, expanding Michigan-built clean energy use.

4. Jan 15

   Earnings date set

   24h Move

   +0.6%

   Announced Feb 5, 2026 webcast for 2025 results and financial outlook.

5. Jan 12

   Bill relief funding

   24h Move

   -0.2%

   Committed $5M of company funds to help Michigan customers manage energy costs.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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JACKSON, Mich., Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of last week's brutal cold spell, Consumers Energy is reaching out today to customers who will see higher bills arrive over the next few weeks. We know higher bills can create stress — and we want every customer to be prepared and supported.

Households that Consumers Energy serves used 25% more natural gas last month compared to January 2025. That's just through just the first 20 days of the month, before Michigan endured sub-zero temperatures and the coldest weather this decade. Electric usage also is higher.

"We know furnaces had to run much more often to cope with January's chill, and that can be tough," said Lauren Snyder, Consumers Energy's senior vice president and chief customer officer.

"That's why today we are making sure that people know we're here for them. We will be connecting with our customers this entire month to make sure they understand their bills, take steps to save and get connected right away if they're struggling to make ends meet."

Helping customers stay warm and supported is Consumers Energy's #1 priority today and the rest of this season. With electric and natural gas usage up this winter, the company will be reaching out to people who are struggling with bills and still coping with the cold:

• Our community affairs teams have been delivering food, hats, gloves and hand warmers to warming shelters and nonprofits statewide in communities such as Lansing, Flint, Saginaw, Westland, Kalamazoo and Jackson.
• Consumers Energy is sending out emails to all customers statewide with tips to save and information on where to turn to help.
• The company last month provided $5 million to 11 nonprofit organizations that are actively helping people with energy bills.
• Consumers Energy is identifying customers whose bills may be the most affected by the cold, and planning more direct outreach that helps them make payments and reduce energy use to lower future bills.
• If you're worried about a higher bill, please don't wait — we're here and ready to help. Consumers Energy urges people to contact 2-1-1 to connect with nonprofits for financial help and resources. Any Consumers Energy customer can learn about help to lower their bills at ConsumersEnergy.com/assistance or call us at 800-477-5050.

Consumers Energy has been able to ensure its electric and natural gas systems are serving Michigan through this winter's weather. With the electric grid enduring the cold, nearly 70 coworkers deployed to Mississippi to restore power after a major storm there.

"This winter has been incredibly challenging for Michigan, and those challenges won't go away even as the temperature increases by a few degrees," Snyder said. "We're committed to keeping our costs down and to helping our friends and neighbors any way we can through the rest of this winter."

Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. We are committed to delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers 24/7. 

Learn more at ConsumersEnergy.com. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumers-energy-connecting-with-customers-after-brutal-cold-drives-up-energy-use-and-bills-302676618.html

SOURCE Consumers Energy

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Why will Consumers Energy (CMS) customers see higher bills after January 2026?

Higher bills are expected because households used 25% more natural gas in the first 20 days of January 2026 versus January 2025. According to the company, sub-zero temperatures and extended furnace runtime drove the increase, raising short-term usage and bills.

What customer assistance is Consumers Energy (CMS) offering for higher winter bills?

Consumers Energy is conducting direct outreach, sending statewide saving tips, and identifying impacted customers for help. According to the company, customers can visit ConsumersEnergy.com/assistance or call 800-477-5050 and are urged to contact 2-1-1 for nonprofit support.

How much did Consumers Energy (CMS) donate to help customers after the brutal cold?

Consumers Energy provided $5 million to 11 nonprofit organizations assisting customers with energy bills. According to the company, the funds are intended to support people struggling to pay bills and to connect customers with local resources.

Did Consumers Energy (CMS) report service interruptions during the January cold snap?

The company said its electric and gas systems continued serving Michigan through the winter weather and maintained service reliability. According to the company, operations held steady while teams also aided storm restoration efforts out-of-state.

How can Consumers Energy (CMS) customers reduce future bills after the January cold?

Customers are advised to review emailed saving tips, reduce energy use, and seek payment plans if needed. According to the company, targeted outreach will help customers make payments and adopt measures to lower future electric and gas usage.